Vending machine



March 15, 1932. H. SWAN 1,849,509

VENDING MACHINE FiledlOGt. 2. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'INVENTOR ATTORN Jura March 15, 1932. H. SWAN 1,849,509

VENDING MACHINE Filed oct. 2, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 l H e' W M INVENTOR Patented Mar. 15, 1932 PATENT OFFICE HARRY SWAN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

'V'ENDING MACHINE Application led October 2, 1929. Serial 170.396,619.

My invention relates to vending machines and contemplates the provision of a machine of this type wherein a coin is used to eject the article sold.

Among the advantages of my invention is the provision of a simple and sturdy machine which is not apt to get out of order or to clog and one which will stand without injury, rough usage that such a machine is apt to receive. v

Another object of my invention is to provide a vending machine which will be neither actuated nor clogged by coins of improper denomination.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device whereby the same coin cannot be used to eject more than one article.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof and on which Fig. 1 is a front elevational view, partly broken away, of a preferred embodiment. of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 g' Fig. 3 is a' vertical cross-sectional view, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, reference character 10 designates generally the casing composed of a base portion 12 and a cover portion 14. Supported on base portion 12 by means of suitable brackets 16 is an article hopper 18 which is open at the top and has a bottom partially closed by flanges 2() formed on a yoke 21. The articles to be sold are placed in hopper 18, which is of proper horizontal dimensions to accommodate the j articles and here the latter are constrained to lie flat therein and will not become jammed. The lowermost article rests on flanges 20.

In front of hopper 18 is a vertical coin chute 22. Near the top of chute 22 is a coin receiver 24 of proper diameter to accommodate the proper coin for actuating the vending machin The coin receiver 24 extends and extending within through cover portion 14 and is thus accessible when the cover is in place. Slidably positioned on rods 26 below hopper 18 and coin chute 22 is a coin carrier 28 provided vwith a coin carrying slot 30. Rods 26 pass through the base portion 12, the back of yoke 2l and engage the front of the yoke by means of screw threads formed on the respective members. A plunger 29 is either formed integral with coin carrier 28 or suitably attached thereto and projects through the front of yoke 21 and cover portion 14 and provides means for moving the coin carrier against the force of coil springs 32 which tend to push coin carrier 28 forward and hold it in such a position that coin slot 30 is directly beneath coin chute 2 Coin slot 30 extends entirely through coin carrier 28 and a coin in position therein will be supported by a horizontal iiat plate 34 in which is formed a slot 36 and a slot 38. Pivoted on plate 34 slot 36 is a notched bar 40 which is held in a substantially horizontal position by means of a spring 42. Beneath slot 38 is formed a coin bank 43 for the reception of coins dropping through slot 38.

A projection 46 is provided in order to defleet the coins and this prevents them from piling up in a single layeron the inclined side of the bank which might interfere with the' passage of coins through slot 38. The front of coin bank 43 a vertically slidable door 45. en cover portion 14 is removed door 45 may be raised means of a handle 44'so that the coins can 'f' Il into a receptacle held beneath lthe vending machine.

Secured to the front of coin chute 22 is a fiat spring 48 having a lower end formed withI two right angle bends as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. Spring 48 is ordinarily held in the position shown by coin carrier 28 but when the carrier is moved inwardly and coin carrying slot 30 therein is not in line with coin chute 22 spring 28 lies flat against the outside of the coin chute and its lower end projects beneath the coin chute and thus prevents a coin from passing out of the chute while the coin carrier 1s not in a position to receive it.

Pivotally supported on the side of hopper is normally closed by-` 18 is an arm 50, the lower end of which eX- tends into the hopper through a slot in the side thereof. A spring 52 pressing against the upper end of arm 50 tends to maintain the lower end of arm 50 within hopper 18 but the presence of one or more articles therein will hold the lower end of the arm out against the force of spring 52. Positioned in the upper part of coin chute 22 is a rectangular disc 54 upon which is formed the word Empty. Disc 54 is provided with a notch 56 in one edge thereof and a pin 58 extending perpendicular to the base of the disc. vertical slot 60 is provided in front of coin slot 22 directly in line with pin 58. v The upper end of arm 50 is adapted to engage notch 56 when the lower end of the arm is held out by articles in the hopper. However, when the last article has been sold, spring 52 moves arm 50 out of engagement with notch 56 and disc 54 drops down until pin 58 strikes the bottom of slot 60, in which position the disc prevents the insertion of a coin into coin chute 22 and the word Empty appears in the coin receiver. An arm 62 is pivoted at 61 and is movably held with its lower end extending over slot 60 by means of a spring 63. ,The lower end of arm 62 is formed with a cutaway portion 65. it drops downwardly in the coin chute and pin 58 strikes arm 62 and moves the arm against the force of spring 63, so that the pin may pass by the arm. The arm then is returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 by the spring and the pin is held in the cut-away portion 65. Thus disc 54 cannot be moved upwardlyT until arm 62 is rotated slightly in a counter clockwise direction, which cannot be done until cover portion 1 4 has been removed.

Attached to base portion 12 and below and to the rear of hopper 18 is an article delivery chute 64 which extends through the front of cover portion 14 and is provided with an upturned end 66 so that an article -`delivered therethrough will not fall on the floor Base portion 12 is secured to any suitable support by means of screws, bolts or the like which pass through holes 67, formed in the base. These holes are of a generally circular shape but have a slot 68 extending from the upper part of the circular hole. The width of slot 68 is less than the diameter of the heads of the screws or'bolts used. To place the machine in position on the\bolts the heads are first inserted through circular holes 67 and then the base portion is moved downwardly so that the bolts are in slots 68. In order to prevent removal of the machine by unauthorized persons a pair of sliding bars 70 are provided which are retained'in guides 71 and which are forced away from each other means of a spring 72 and thus cover circular hole 67 suiiiciently to prevent removal of the base portion from the bolts while bars 70 are in this position. Bars 7 0 are provided with When disc 54 is releasedr bars may be brought together, thus uncovering the hole 66 but grips 74 may be reached only after cover portion 14 has been removed. The cover 14 is ordinarily secured to base portion 12 by means of a suitable lock 76.

The method of operati substantially as follows:

A number of packages of merchandise are in position within hopper '18, the lowermost package resting on flanges 20. When a coin is inserted in coin receiver 24 it drops downwardly through coin chute 22 and into slot 30 in coin carrier 28. Plunger 29 is now pressed inwardly and coin carrier 28 and the coin therein moves to the. right as viewed in Fig. 2. The top of the coin projects above coin carrier 28 'suiiiciently to engage the lowermost package contained in chute 18 and moves the package to the right until it falls into delivery chute 64, while the `coin drops through slot 38 into bank 44. Upon the release of preson of the device is` sure on plunger 29 the plunger is returned by means of spring 32 to its initial position.

If the operator attempts to secure more than one package by means of -releasing plunger 29 after the first package has been ejected but before the coin has dropped through slot 38, the return motion vof coin carrier 28 with the coin in slot 3() thereof will be prevented by the lower edge of the coin engaging one of the teeth on member 40. The formation of these teeth is such that the coin may pass over them to the right as shown in Fig. 2, without interference therefrom, particularly as member 4() is pivted and could be depressed If too small a coin is placed in the coin chute it will drop into slot 8O in coin carrier 28 but will not be of suiiicient diameter to engage the lowermost package in hopper 18 and hence will not eject the same through delivery chute 64. In case the machine 1s chosen for the use of twenty-five cent pieces it is preferable to make slot 30 of a greaterwidth near its more central portion, as is shown at 78 in Fig. 4. Thus, if a five cent iece which slightly if necessary.

ion

it will be retained in the more central portion of slot 30 and will not be able to jam the mas chine, as it might if it rested loosely in a larger slot. through coin receiver 24 and hence cannot be putin the machine at all.

While I. have described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that modiiications such as are apparent to one skilled in the art fall within its scope, which is to be limited only by the appended claims taken in view of the prior art. j

What I claim is: v

1. In combination with a vending machine, a coin bank comprising walls forming an enclosure, one of said walls being formed Too large a coin will not pass with an aperture therethrough for the admission of coins, another of said walls being inclined at an angle greater than the angle of repose of a coin thereon and another of said walls being vertical and joining said inclined wall at the lower art thereof, said vertical wall being forme with an aperture in the lower part thereof adjacent to said inclined wall, and a closure member normally closing the last mentioned aperture.

2. In combination with a vending machine, a coin -bank comprising walls forming an enclosure, one of said walls being formed with an aperture therethrough for the admission of coins, another of said walls being inclined at an angle greater than the angle of repose of a coin thereon, and another of said walls being vertical and joinin said inclined wall at the lower part thereo said vertical wall being formed with an aperture in the lower part thereof adjacent to said inclined wall, and a slidable closure member normally closing the last mentioned aperture.

3. In combination with a vending machine, a coin bank comprising walls forming an enclosure, one of said walls being formed with an aperture therethrough for the admission of coins, another of said walls being inclined at an angle greater than the angle of repose of a coin thereon, a projection extending inwardly from said inclined wall, and another of said walls being vertical and 'oinin said inclined wall at the lower part t ereo said vertical wall being formed with an aperture in the lower part thereof adjacent to said inclined wall, and a closure member normally closing the last mentioned aperture.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afwixed my signature.

HARRY SWAN. 

